The Fitness Motivation Monitor

“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was." – Muhammad Ali

Have you ever been stuck in traffic making you late for a meeting? Have you ever made a proposal to a potential customer or to your boss and not gotten the response you wanted? Did you think, “well that figures” or “this always happen to me?” Most people have these experiences and unfortunately most have these typical responses. Sometimes it’s so automatic they don’t even realize it. I think that what we focus on becomes a reality, so if you find yourself with a common thought like “I’m always late” or “I never get what I want” don’t be surprised when you’re proven right.

What about when other people experience success? Have you ever heard someone justify their own failure by saying, “It’s easy for her to lose weight, she can afford a personal trainer” or “he has a faster metabolism than I do?”

Successful people expect to be successful. Those who are not successful often expect to fail, even if it’s not conscious. If you often make excuses for why you can’t exercise or blame a slow metabolism for weight problems, you won’t stick with any program long enough to see results. And guess what? The belief of “I can’t lose weight” or “I don’t have the discipline to stay on an exercise program” comes true.

Believe that you can achieve your health and fitness goals. Picture yourself having achieved the results you want. Funny thing about the brain: if the brain believes something to be true it will fight to be right. It will actually find ways for you to be successful. With your brain on your side, overcoming life’s obstacles and motivational challenges are easier because your brain is working on a solution rather than justifying failure with excuses.

So expect that you are the greatest you can be, even before you are. It worked for Muhammad Ali!

Message from the President:

We’re focusing on the “M” word this month. Actually we often focus on it because it is the number one complaint from people: lack of motivation.

Do you approach exercise as something you have to do or something you get to do? I’m not talking about mind tricks or pretending something is fun when it isn’t. I’m talking about having gratitude for what our bodies can do and treating our bodies well. You know how quickly you appreciate your health when you’re sick? Why wait to appreciate how your body can move, it’s strength and flexibility, until it no longer can? At that point it may be too late.

With a greater appreciation for your body and what it can do, you are inspired to treat it better with exercise and healthful foods. When the motivation starts from within you, challenges may arise but nothing will stop you.

To your health,
Amy Lundberg
Aim For It, President

How Can You Keep Your Motivation to Exercise?

1. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout. Life is full of challenges and unexpected obstacles. Setbacks happen. Don’t let a couple of missed workouts turn into two months of inactivity.

2. Take a break. A plateau, burnout or lack of motivation might be your body asking for a break. Take an occasional break from your regular exercise routine for a few days or so, keeping active with some low intensity activities like walking or riding a beach cruiser.

3. Write it down. Does it ever seem like you’re not getting anywhere? Monitor your program to adjust your regime as necessary. Writing it down also lets you measure the improvements you’ve made over time, which is good to review during times of waning motivation.

4. Treat yourself to technology. Tools like heart rate monitors and calorie trackers make exercise more fun and let you see instantly the results of your efforts.

5. Club it. If you like to bike, run, swim or dance, join a club. The social component makes it fun while the group can provide accountability and motivation to stay on track.

6. See the whole picture. Focus on all the benefits of exercise, like how a good workout makes you feel or the decrease in your cholesterol level. The more benefits you can identify the more motivated you are to exercise, even at times when you don’t feel like it.

Summer Classes

Group Fitness By Phone

AN ALTERNATIVE-GET FIT AND SAVE MONEY
Need support in losing weight but find personal training unaffordable? I'm excited to announce Group Fitness By Phone. Because its a group, I am able to offer it at a lower per person cost. If you want support, accountability and learn how to maintain your motivation to loose exess weight for a lifetime call to see if this is the right program for you. Enrollment Limited to 5 people so call early to reserve your space! 218-846-1525

Inutitive Eating Class

ARE YOU:
An Emotional or Stress Eater?
Tired of losing but then regaining weight?
Struggling with negative beliefs about your body?
Transform your relationship with food and weight.
Enrollment Limited to 5
Call early to reserve your space! 218-846-1525

Boot Camp - The Ultimate Summer Workout!
Mon & Wed, June 2 - August 6   6-7 am

This class will use the City Park and Beach to give an excellent outdoor strength and endurance workout. If you are looking for something different and challenging and you love nature, this class is for you! Come join the fun and see your body physically change to the fit image you desire.

This Class is not for the weak! Expect to be pushed!
Your fee includes a t-shirt after completion of the class.
Meet at the park (corner of Roosevelt and North Shore Dr.)

Yoga on the Beach - Indulge Yourself!
Mon & Wed, June 2 - August 6   7-8 am

This class offers a refreshing and energizing morning workout. It will be comprised of tai chi, yoga and pilates. Gain flexibility, balance, and core strength. Excellent class for enhancing mental well-being to start your day.
Meet at the beach next to the pavilion.

Register at the Lincoln Ed. Center, 204 E. Willow, Detroit Lakes or call 218-847-4418.

Fitness by Phone® Works!

Her Story: “I began working with my Fitness by Phone® Coach in July of 2002. This program has been extremely educational and helped me immensely with my all-around fitness routine. When we began, my Coach focused on getting me into “working out” in general. She got me in a routine and taught me to monitor where I was at using the Caltrac and heart rate monitor. I was excited because with these tools I could see instantly the results of my efforts. Before long, my routine became part of my day-to-day lifestyle. I now look at working out as something so regular, like brushing my teeth. I look forward to it and my body craves it.

As I progressed my exercise program evolved, and I learned so much about heart rate zones and creative ways to burn more calories, among many other important factors. My Coach taught me how to get the most out of my workouts in order to achieve optimal results. Fitness by Phone® enabled me to incorporate many different types of workouts, so that I am never bored. I do everything from rollerblading, spinning, hiking and yoga to sprinting up and down my hallways at home.

My Coach slowly incorporated more cardiovascular and strength training time into my program and changed my exercise routines as we went. This helped mix things up so I was never bored. I also learned invaluable eating habits. I never felt like I was on a diet. If anything, I had to learn how to eat more. In six months I lost 19 pounds. I still have a long way to go and I know I will get there. With this program I learned how to take care of myself and make time to exercise and eat right. I learned that even if I only have 30 minutes I can get in a decent workout. The goals she helped me set were attainable – and all personalized to my schedule and lifestyle.

Fitness by Phone® is up to the individual. It teaches you to be accountable to yourself. Working out is at your own pace. The Coach is a teacher who gives you valuable lessons on how to best incorporate fitness into your personal lifestyle by setting goals and monitoring where you are at every step of the way. I would not have accomplished what I have so far without this program and know that because of my Coach’s help and support I will be able to achieve and sustain my health and fitness goals forever.”

Doreen Hartman – doreenhartman@cox.net

Did you know that eating an extra 100 calories per day leads to a 10 lb weight gain in one year? The opposite holds true too – burn an extra 100 calories per day and by the end of the year you can lose 10 lb. But why is it so much harder to lose weight than to gain it? Because it takes a matter of minutes (sometimes seconds) to eat 100 calories, but it takes a lot longer to burn it. In next month’s issue of the Fitness Motivation Monitor look for easy tips on burning and saving 100 calories a day – you might have a new body next year.